Sean Apsey was born and raised in Galesburg, Illinois. His father and grandfather were both engineers. In school, Sean’s grandfather was taught by Charles Ellis; a chief engineer on the Golden Gate bridge. During class, his grandfather would run calculations for his instructor. Ellis was also eventually credited as being the structural design engineer of the Golden Gate Bridge project. 

Sean began SkillsUSA Illinois after he had already entered the workforce. While working at CAT through a different apprenticeship, he made the decision to go back to school. At Illinois Central College, Sean enrolled in an HVAC course and found the trade fit his mindset. His instructor began the first day of class by promoting SkillsUSA Illinois. He discussed the competitions as well as the wholistic approach SkillsUSA Illinois took to preparing students for the workforce. Sean was intrigued by the prospects and enrolled. 

Sean attended the SkillsUSA Illinois State Leadership & Skills Conference and won gold in the HVAC competition. While preparing for the National Leadership & Skills Conference, he spoke with his advisor who told him he had nothing more to prove in the competitions as he felt Sean could absolutely win gold at nationals as well. His advisor strongly urged him to run for national office to have an incredibly powerful experience afforded to only 15 people each year. 

Sean won the national officer spot and spent the year further developing his professionalism, leadership, and public speaking skills. He recalls presenting in front of tens of thousands of people at events and the confidence and satisfaction those experiences brought him. He also coached students running for office and developed a large network of business and peer connections he maintains to this day. Sean believes each experience within SkillsUSA Illinois opens the next level and widens exposure to further understanding of what the organization has to offer.

Advocating for SkillsUSA Illinois as an officer introduced a natural gateway into continued organization participation as a volunteer. Sean mentions SkillsUSA has been referred to as one of the country’s best kept secrets; he doesn’t want it to be a secret anymore. He believes SkillsUSA to be a sustainable system with nothing but benefits to offer. 

When asked if his participation in SkillsUSA Illinois influenced his career, Sean is quick to say yes. One of his fellow competitors at state was hired at Trane. His boss acknowledged his work ethic and aptitude, asking where he could get more people like him. This led to Sean’s hire and the employer’s awareness of SkillsUSA. Sean believes as more employers are being made aware of SkillsUSA, they can see the growth, abilities, tenacity, and professional dedication of SkillsUSA members. The general workforce is starved for this and SkillsUSA members stand out. 

Sean’s career progression has been rapid and progressive. He began as a foundry machine repairman before beginning his membership in SkillsUSA Illinois. Afterward, he started work with Trane as a Mechanical Tech in HVAC. From there, he moved within the company to the controls division, where his computer proclivity was utilized, then into corporate Trane as a remote controls technician. He helped develop that division from two people to seventeen. 

Sean then became a Project Manager and went back to school to obtain his BS in HVAC Engineering Technology; fully paid for by his employer. He was then made an Account Manager for service and managed upwards of four million dollars in service accounts. Sean then decided he would rather be back in the field, so he moved into a traveling role with a contracting group troubleshooting installs. He now manages four technicians in that role. 

Everyone is a potential networking connection that could last a lifetime, but it’s up to you to make it happen. 

Sean attended Illinois Central College is East Peoria, Illinois. Here, he valued the opportunity to get his AS and immediately begin work as an HVAC Tech. Whether he chose to move further with his education or not, he would always have that certification to make a living from. Later, he did choose to continue his education another two years to get his BS at Ferris State University in Michigan, where he learned the office/ management side of things. This model is one Sean believes in: Teaching tangible skills first to solidify a secure job, then the option to progress to that next level in the industry with a second degree – often obtained with employer financial assistance.

When asked to speak about SkillsUSA Illinois, Sean is adamant that if someone wants abundant opportunities for self-improvement, they need to join. He makes the following points: SkillsUSA Illinois will change people in ways they never even expected. SkillsUSA Illinois is a network of lifelong friends and connections with conferences often acting as reunions. Seeing positive outcomes of the students who participate is an immeasurable return on investment of participation as a volunteer or a sponsor. The ability to connect with and positively interact with anyone you come across is a powerful tool and helps immensely in career progression. The number of trades touched on within SkillsUSA Illinois is staggering and the reach is broad, with more being added all the time. 

For his final bits of advice, Sean suggests always introducing yourself. Everyone is a potential networking connection that could last a lifetime, but it’s up to you to make it happen. The best thing he said he could tell students is that your entry position doesn’t ever have to be your career, but it will always be a steppingstone and chance to advance yourself toward your end goals.